Light cruiser KENYA departed Hvalfjord on the
15th, and destroyers WELLS and VANQUISHER later joined. After the operation,
the KENYA proceeded to patrol in the
Iceland-Faroes Passage. The minelaying force arrived back at Loch Alsh and
SOMALI at Scapa Flow, all on the 17th.

_____

Light cruiser TRINIDAD departed patrol in the
Iceland-Faroes Passage and proceeded to Hvalfjord where she arrived on the
16th.

_____

Destroyer LOOKOUT departed the Clyde and arrived at Scapa Flow at 1330 for working up
exercises.

_____

Corvette OXLIP arrived at Seidsifjord from Hvalfjord
for escort of convoy PQ.11.

_____

U.98 sank steamer BIELA (5298grt) in 42-55N, 45-40W.

_____

U.566 sank Greek steamer MEROPI (4181grt), straggling
behind convoy ON.60, in 44-14N, 62-41W. Of a crew of 33, two gunners and five
passengers, 24 crew and both gunners were lost.

_____

U.432 sank Brazilian steamer BUARQUE (5152grt) in
36-35N, 75-20W. Of a crew of 74 and 11 passengers, one was killed and one
missing. US Coast Guard cutter CALYPSO rescued 42 survivors.

_____

Steamer EMPIRE HEAD (489grt) was damaged by German
bombing in 34-42N, 00-54W.

_____

U.81 attacked a British light cruiser near Alexandria.

_____

Motor launch ML.169 was destroyed by fire at Gibraltar when an explosion occurred
as she started up. Four ratings were killed.

Australian light cruiser PERTH relieved light cruiser ADELAIDE which departed Fremantle
with convoy MS.4 of four tankers and two cargo ships.

On the 15th, convoy MS.4 was ordered back to
Fremantle, except for PERTH and Dutch steamer 'S JACOB
(note: name as shown in reports, but does not appear in Lloyds) (2839grt). En
route they were joined by Dutch steamers SWARTENHONDT (5084grt) and KARSIK
(3057grt).

On the 21st, three ship convoy was ordered back to
Fremantle and PERTH escorted it to within 700
miles of Fremantle before proceeding Tanjong Priok arriving on the 24th.

_____

American heavy cruiser HOUSTON, destroyer PEARY and
Australian sloops SWAN and WARREGO departed Darwin escorting US Army transports
MEIGS, MAUNA
LOA,
PORT MAR and Australian coaster
TULAGI, carrying 1800 troops to reinforce Timor. Shortly after sailing, the
convoy came under air attack, all four transports suffered damage from near
misses, and it returned to Darwin.

Auxiliary patrol boat DYMAS, which had departed Singapore on the 13th, was captured by
a Japanese cruiser nine miles north of Muntok Light. S/Lt R. G. Banks MRNVR
and rest of the crew were made prisoners of war and DYMAS was taken to
Muntok.

Tug YIN PING (191grt) was sunk by
Japanese surface craft 20 miles 225° from Muntok. Of a crew of ten and 65
passengers, 50 were lost, including Capt T K W Atkinson of Singapore Dockyard
and Cdr B M Douglas Rtd of SULTAN.

_____

Steamers SIUSHAN (296grt), MERSING (65grt) and
requisitioned yacht SILVIA were lost at Singapore.

Steamer HONG CHUAN (67grt) was lost at Djambi when she
caught fire from burning shore installations and a drifing barge.

_____

Cdr (E) G. H. Craven-Phillips of NASAR (RNAS
Sembawang) was lost in ML.433.

_____

Japanese submarine I.65 sank steamer JOHANNE JUSTESEN
(4681grt) in 9-04N, 75-58E. Of a crew of 59, one was lost.

Monday, 16 February

Battleship RODNEY departed the Clyde for Liverpool, escorted by destroyer
PIORUN. Destroyer WATCHMAN departed Belfast and joined at sea. The ships
arrived later that day and the battleship was taken in hand for refitting.

_____

Light cruiser TRINIDAD arrived at Hvalfjord from
patrol in the Iceland-Faroes Passage.

_____

Destroyer LEDBURY departed Portsmouth at 1600 and proceeded to
Scapa Flow for working up exercises,
arriving at 1530/18th.

_____

Minesweeper GOSSAMER departed Sheerness on completion
of refitting and provided additional escort for convoy FN.33 while on passage
for Scapa
Flow.

_____

U.156 sank tanker ORANJESTAD (2396grt) with 15 crew
lost and 10 survivors. She also damaged tankers PEDERNALES (4317grt) and the
American ARKANSAS (6452grt), all off San Nicholas.

_____

U.502 sank two tankers 25 miles SW of Point Macolla -
TIA JUANA (2395grt) with 17 crew lost and nine survivors, and SAN NICOLAS (2391grt) with seven
lost and 19 saved. She also accounted for Venezuelan tanker MONAGAS (2650grt)
in the Gulf
of Venezuela with five crew missing and 26 saved.

_____

U.67 damaged Dutch tanker RAFAELA (3177grt) one mile
off Curacoa.

_____

U.106 sank Panamanian steamer RAMAPO (2968grt) west of
Bermuda, with the loss of her entire
crew.

_____

U.564 damaged tanker OPALIA (6195grt) with gunfire in
37-38N, 66-07W.

_____

Corvette COLTSFOOT departed Gibraltar escorting steamer WALLSEND
(3157grt) to Hornillo and steamer SHUNA (1575grt) to Valencia. She parted company with
SHUNA on the 18th off Almiera and then escorted steamer BARON RAMSAY to Gibraltar, arriving on the 19th.

_____

Auxiliary minesweeper FUH WO (Temporary Lt B Shaw
RNVR) was lost on Banka Island, after being beached and
blown up by her crew. No officers or ratings were lost.

Lt R C Beckwith and S/Lt R C Ripley RCNVR, both formerly
of battleship PRINCE OF WALES, in SULTAN and FANLING respectively and
Temporary Lt A J Martin RNVR in PULO SOEGI, were lost on the 16th (posted
January 1946, also Halifax list for Canadian officer)

_____

Aircraft carrier INDOMITABLE with destroyers NAPIER
and NESTOR departed Colombo for Aden. The sailing had been
delayed when the destroyers were sent to hunt for a submarine off Colombo.

_____

Aircraft transport ATHENE arrived at Fremantle to
embark aircraft.

_____

Ferry BAGAN (244grt) was scuttled at Palembang.

_____

Auxiliary patrol vessel ELIZABETH with 15 crew and 11
passengers was sunk by Japanese gunfire in the Banka Strait. Twenty four were missing

_____

Steamer TAYLTHYRIUS (10,254grt), which had been
damaged on the 3rd, was seized by Japanese forces at Singapore.

_____

Convoy JS.3 of steamers PENRITH CASTLE, SILVER TAEK, SILVER WILLOW,
MADRASCITY and EMPIRE GLADE departed
Colombo escorted by light cruiser
GLASGOW, sloop FALMOUTH, and BATHURST for Batavia. The convoy merged with
BM.13, escorted by light cruiser CALEDON from Bombay to Ceylon, on the 17th. GLASGOW relieved CALEDON as Senior Officer of the
Convoy, and BATHURST returned to Colombo with engine defects.

Heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE departed Colombo to join JS.3, but was
recalled when the convoy was ordered to return. On 21 February, the convoy
was ordered to steam north, then return to Colombo, arriving on the 25th,
escorted by GLASGOW.

From the Sunda Strait, the ships proceeded
independently, PLANCIUS proceeding to Colombo escorted by DURBAN and arriving on the 22nd,
while EMPIRE STAR, with US Admiral Hart embarked, proceeded to
Fremantle on her own.

Tuesday, 17 February

TROOP CONVOY WS.16, UK TO SOUTH AFRICA AND INDIAN OCEAN

Convoy WS.16 assembled off Oversay on the 17th, having
sailed from Liverpool and the Clyde (on the 16th).

STRATHAIRD sailed late because of defects,and finally
joined the convoy on the 21st under the escort of NEWCASTLE and PALADIN. CITY OF EDINBURGH and CITY OF LINCOLN both had problems with
shifting cargo and returned to the Clyde and Liverpool respectively. POTARO also fell out on the18th but
proceeded to Freetown independently where she
rejoined the convoy.

The Capetown ships sailed on 22 March, escorted by
cruiser NEWCASTLE and sloop MILFORD, and met the Durban vessels, excluding MONARCH
OF BERMUDA, MOOLTAN and STRATHAIRD which remained in port, off Durban on the 25th. The convoy, its
escort reinforced by cruiser GLASGOW and armed merchant cruiser
WORCESTERSHIRE from Durban, proceeded northward; NEWCASTLE detached at midnight on the 25th. On 1 April
cruiser COLOMBO and armed merchant cruiser
ALAUNIA relieved the escort and on 3 April the convoy divided into the Aden and Bombay portions.

Convoy WS.16A with BERGENSFJORD, NEA HELLAS and
VOLENDAM formed the Aden convoy escorted by COLOMBO from the splitting
position on 3 April until dispersed off Aden on the 6th after which the ships
went to Suez as independents.

Convoy WS.16B was the Bombay detachment steaming in
the following order from 3 April - AWATEA, BRISBANE STAR, DELFTDIJK, DENBIGHSHIRE,
DUCHESS OF RICHMOND, DUCHESS OF YORK, EMPIRE PRIDE, PORT JACKSON, POTARO, SIBAJAK and
STRATHEDEN, escorted by ALAUNIA and WORCESTERSHIRE (which joined at the
splitting position) and arrived at Bombay 8 April.

_____

Destroyers ONSLOW (D.17), ASHANTI, TARTAR, BEDOUIN and the
American EBERLE and ERICSSON departed Hvalfjord to carry out an
anti-submarine search in 63-57N, 23-46W. American destroyer GWIN departed
Hvalfjord later and joined the search. They returned to Hvalfjord the next
day after an unsuccessful search.

_____

The Flag of Rear Admiral Commanding First Cruiser
Squadron was transferred from heavy cruiser NORFOLK to heavy cruiser LONDON.

Convoy AT.28 departed Alexandria, escorted by destroyers
DECOY, HURWORTH, SOUTHWOLD and corvette HYACINTH, and arrived at Tobruk on
the 18th.

_____

Dutch destroyer VAN NES and escorted Dutch steamer
SLOET VAN DER BEELE (2977grt), carrying evacutees from Billiton, were sunk by Japanese
bombing south of Banka. There were no survivors from either ship.

_____

Auxiliary patrol vessel TANDJONG PINANG (133grt) with
17 crew and 150 passengers (survivors from steamer KUALA lost on the 14th),
was sunk by Japanese surface craft 30 miles south of Pulo Ubar. There were
only three survivors and Temporary Lt B Shaw NZRNVR, Temporary Lt E G Gerard
NZRNVR and Temporary Lt G Studholme NZRNVR were lost. Commissioned Gunner A
Rafferty, who also had been rescued from KUALA was also lost.

VENDETTA left Tanjong Priok harbour in tow of two tugs
and was met outside the harbour by PING WO, which took over the tow
before they joined SJ.3 escorted by destroyer ELECTRA and sloop YARRA. On the
22nd off Christmas Island, light cruiser ADELAIDE relieved YARRA in the
escort.

_____

Convoy SR.6 of steamers WINGSANG, CHILKA, and ELLENGA
departed Calcutta for Rangoon, escorted by Indian sloop
INDUS, while convoy MR.4 with
steamers KUTSANG, NEURALIA and PRESIDENT DOUMER had departed Madras on the 16th for Rangoon, escorted by light cruiser
EMERALD. On the 19th, the two convoys merged as SR.6. Due to the situation
around Rangoon only troopships ELLENGA (5196grt) and NEURALIA (9182grt)
were to proceed there. The rest of the convoy was ordered to Calcutta and arrived on the 22nd.

_____

Steamer TATUNG (1560grt), which had been
immobilised, was seized by Japanese forces at Tanjong Batoe.

French submarine SURCOUF was lost in collision with
American steamer THOMSON LYKES in the Gulf of Mexico in 10-40W, 79-31W. Temporary
Lt R J G Burney RNVR and two communications ratings were lost, along with the
entire French crew.

Battleship KING GEORGE V, aircraft carrier VICTORIOUS,
heavy cruiser BERWICK and destroyers ONSLOW, BEDOUIN, TARTAR, ESKIMO, ASHANTI, PUNJABI and ICARUS departed
Hvalfjord to launch an air strike at Tromso on the 22nd in Operation EO.
ONSLOW, TARTAR and PUNJABI detached to Seidisfjord to refuel, rejoining on
the 20th.

Battlecruiser RENOWN and destroyers INGLEFIELD, FURY
and ECHO remained at Hvalfjord.

On the 20th, VICTORIOUS, BERWICK, ASHANTI, BEDOUIN,
ESKIMO, PUNJABI and ICARUS were detached for the air strike, but it was was
cancelled when German heavy cruisers ADMIRAL SCHEER, PRINZ EUGEN and
destroyers Z.25, HERMANN SCHOEMANN and FRIEDRICH IHN were sighted on the 21st
off Jutland steering north.

Destroyer SOMALI departed Scapa Flow at 1015 to refitting at
Hull on the Humber, and arrived at 0900/20th.

_____

Destroyer depot ship HECLA departed Hvalfjord for the
Clyde at 2130, escorted by
destroyer MARNE and the Polish BLYSKAWICA. They arrived on the 23rd and MARNE proceeded to Barrow to
undergo repairs.

_____

Destroyers MIDDLETON, GROVE and ALDENHAM departed
Scapa Flow at 2000 to search for a
possible U-boat reported by light cruiser SHEFFIELD in position seven miles 270°
from Torness. They arrived back at Scapa Flow at 0230/20th without making
contact.

_____

Convoy ON.68 departed Liverpool 19 February, escorts:

joined

detached

20th

destroyer
Hurricane

21st

corvettes
Anchusa, Dahlia, Monkshood, Primrose, Snowflake

24th

corvettes
Nanaimo, Sudbury

3rd

destroyer
Ramsey, minesweepers Goderich, Midland, Quinte

Hurricane,
Anchusa, Dahlia, Monkshood, Primrose, Snowflake

7th

Nanaimo

convoy dispersed 9 March

_____

Submarine TRIDENT departed Lerwick for patrol off the
Norwegian coast.

_____

U.432 sank steamer MIRAFLORES (2158grt), which had departed
Port au Prince on the 14th, off the Virginia Capes.

_____

U.161 damaged American steamer MOKIHANA (7460grt) and
British tanker BRITISH CONSUL (6940grt) in the approaches to Port au Prince
in 10-38N, 60-30N and 10-37N, 61-34W, respectively.

_____

U.128 sank American tanker PAN MASSACHUSETTS (8202grt)
in 28-27N, 80-08W. Two crew were killed, 20 missing, and 18 were rescued by
US Coast Guard cutter FORWARD.

_____

U.96 sank steamer EMPIRE SEAL (7965grt) in 43-14N,
64-45W. The crew of 56 and a pilot were saved, but one later died of wounds.

_____

Corvette COREOPSIS departed Gibraltar escorting steamer GLAISDALE
to Melilla. She arrived back at Gibraltar on the 21st, escorting
another merchant ship.

_____

Corvettes VETCH and PENTSTEMON departed Gibraltar to intercept Portuguese
steamer LAURENCO MARQUES to remove a packet of diamonds in charge of the
Master. She was intercepted and the corvettes arrived back at Gibraltar on the 22nd with the
diamonds.

In Japanese carrier based air attacks on Port Darwin,
American destroyer PEARY (LCDR J M Bermingham), British tanker BRITISH
MOTORIST (6891grt), steamers ZEALANDIA (6683grt), NEPTUNIA (5952grt),
American steamer MAUNA LOA (5436grt) and Army Transport MEIGS (7358grt) were
sunk, and British steamers BAROSSA (4239grt) and MANUNDA (9115grt) damaged.

PEARY lost LCDR Bermingham, LT A F Gustafson, LT M M
Koivisto, Ensign P M Joyce and seventy six enlisted men, with LT R L Johnson
and thirteen enlisted men wounded. BRITISH MOTORIST with a crew of 60 and one
gunner, lost two crew. ZEALANDIA had three crew killed. NEPTUNIA’s cargo,
which included depth charges, exploded and 45 crew were killed. MAUNA LOA had five crew killed. MEIGS
lost two crew.

_____

American steamer DON ISIDRO (3261grt) was badly
damaged by Japanese bombing NW of Bathurst Island, near Darwin in 11S, 130E, beached and
considered a total loss. Four crew died, seven missing and 73 rescued by
Australian minesweeper WARRNAMBOOL. Two of the survivors died after reaching
Darwin.

American steamer FLORENCE D (2638grt), in company, was
sunk by Japanese bombing at 10-56S, 130-07E. Three crew were lost and the 34
survivors rescued by WARRNAMBOOL and lugger ST FRANCIS.

_____

American destroyer EDSALL, in operations in the Dutch East Indies, was damaged by the
explosion of one of her own depth charges close aboard.

_____

Aircraft carrier HERMES and destroyer VAMPIRE departed
Colombo for Fremantle, but were recalled to Trincomalee on
the 21st.

Convoy SM.2 departed Tandjong Priok with steamers
WHANG PU (3204grt) and CABLE ENTERPRISE (943grt) for Fremantle, escorted by
light cruiser DRAGON until later in the day.

_____

Australian heavy cruiser AUSTRALIA lost her Walrus when it hit
the ship during landing and caught fire. Pilot Flight Officer E J Rowan RAAF
was killed, but S/Lt G H Jackson RAN and the TAG were rescued.

Friday, 20 February

Heavy cruiser SUFFOLK arrived at Hvalfjord from
patrol in the Denmark Strait.

_____

Destroyers FAULKNOR and INTREPID arrived at Scapa Flow at 0715 on completion of
escort duty with convoy QP. 7.

_____

Destroyer CHARLESTOWN departed the Humber for Loch Alsh on completion
of refitting, and arrived later that day.

_____

Destroyer PENN departed Newcastle for Methil, arriving that
day. She left again on the 21st and arrived at Scapa Flow that day.

U.156 badly damaged American steamer DELPLATA
(5127grt) in 14-55N, 62-10W. Fifty two crew rescued. She was sunk by an
American naval ship.

_____

Corvette ASPHODEL attacked a submarine contact in
35-54N, 7-08W.

_____

German steamer JASON (1025grt) was lost near Calais on a mine.

_____

Convoy AT.29 departed Alexandria, escorted by destroyers
BEAUFORT, ERIDGE and corvette GLOXINIA, and arrived at Tobruk on the 23rd.

_____

American aircraft carrier LEXINGTON, en route to
launch an air strike on Rabaul, was sighted by Japanese scout planes off
Bouganville and the operation was called off. She was part of a task force
with heavy cruisers MINNEAPOLIS, INDIANAPOLIS, PENSACOLA, SAN FRANCISCO and destroyers CLARK,
PATTERSON, PHELPS, DEWEY, MACDONOUGH, HULL, AYLWIN, DALE, BAGLEY, and
DRAYTON.

In the operation, Ensign J W Wilson from Fighter
Squadron 3 was killed.

_____

BATTLE OF BADOENG STRAIT

Allied ships were in two groups. The first were Dutch cruisers
DE RUYTER, JAVA, Dutch destroyers PIET HEIN and the American JOHN D FORD, and POPE. Dutch destroyer
BANCKERT was part of the force, but ran aground at the mouth of Tjilatjap
harbour and could not proceed.

The second group was Dutch cruiser TROMP from Surabaya and American destroyers
STEWART, PARROTT, JOHN D EDWARDS and PILLSBURY from Ratai Bay.

STEWART was damaged by Japanese gunfire, with one
enlisted man killed and the executive officer LT C B Smiley and one enlisted
man wounded. JOHN D EDWARDS had one enlisted man wounded. PIET HEIN (Lt Cdr J
M L I Chompff) was lost with all but 33 of her crew and TROMP was badly
damaged.

_____

Convoy SM.3 departed Batavia unescorted with British
steamers ADRASTUS (7905grt), CITY OF MANCHESTER (8917grt), MARELLA
(7475grt), Dutch PHRONTIS (6181grt) and Norwegian PROMINENT (2282grt). Steamers CITY OF MANCHESTER and PROMINENT proceeded to
Tjilatjap and the rest of the convoy to Fremantle.

Battleship WARSPITE arrived at Sydney, NSW, after
refitting in the United States.

_____

Light cruiser ENTERPRISE arrived at Colombo.

_____

Destroyer NIZAM departed Colombo for the west coast of Sumatra to evacuate personnel.
Patrol vessel PANGKOR of the China Force was also sent to evacuate personnel.
NIZAM was recalled on the 21st for escort duties.

_____

Australian minesweeper BALLARAT evacuated important
stores and completed the destruction of port facilities and abandoned
equipment at Oosthaven on the 20th.

Convoy SJ.7 departed Tandjong Priok with troopship
ORCADES (23,456grt), carrying 3768 troops and refugees, escorted by destroyer
ELECTRA to the 22nd and Australian light cruiser HOBART to the 23rd, when the
convoy dispersed and the escorts detached. ORCADES arrived at Colombo on the 27th.

Sunday 22, February

Aircraft carrier VICTORIOUS with heavy cruiser BERWICK
and destroyers ASHANTI, BEDOUIN, ESKIMO, and ICARUS
were detached to reach a point 100 miles off Stadtlandet at 0100/23rd.

Battleship KING GEORGE V and destroyers ONSLOW, TARTAR
and PUNJABI followed at a slower speed to give cover.

Ten Albacore aircraft of 832 Squadron were in the
first strike and seven from 817 in the second from the VICTORIOUS. RAF
Coastal Command were deployed to attack German heavy cruisers ADMIRAL SCHEER and
PRINZ EUGEN, escorted by destroyers Z.25 and SCHOEMANN off Skudesnes, but did
not locate them in the poor weather. The planes were ordered to return to
Sumburgh.

Destroyers GROVE and CHIDDINGFOLD departed Scapa Flow at 1900 to patrol to the
east of the Shetlands and act as rescue ships for the aircraft attacking
targets on the coast of Norway. They arrived back at Scapa Flow at 1300/23rd.

Oiler SAN ZOTICO, escorted by two
trawlers, departed Scapa Flow on the 22nd for the Faroes, arriving the next
day.

VICTORIOUS, KING GEORGE V, BERWICK, ONSLOW, TARTAR,
BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, ESKIMO, ASHANTI, and ICARUS arrived at Scapa Flow on the 23rd.

Anti-aircraft cruiser CAIRO arrived at Scapa Flow from Murmansk with a large shipment of
gold, which was transferred to battleship KING GEORGE V on the 23rd. CAIRO departed Scapa Flow on the 23rd and proceeded to
Greenock, arriving on the 24th.

_____

Destroyers ORIBI and OFFA departed Greenock at 1300
after boiler cleaning, and arrived at Scapa Flow at 0800/23rd.

_____

U.502 sank Norwegian tanker KONSGAARD (9467grt) seven
miles north of Port Curacoa. Of a crew of 46, 38 missing and 8 survivors.

U.129 sank two steamers – the Canadian GEORGE L TORAIN
(1754grt) in 9-13N, 59-04W with only four survivors and the American WEST
ZEDA (5658grt) in 9-13N, 59-04W without any casualties.

_____

U.96 badly damaged tanker KARS (8888grt) in 44-15N, 63-25W.
Crew of 47 including 4 gunners with only one crew saved. Ship abandoned,
broke in two and afterpart of the ship taken in tow and beached at Halifax on the 27th.

_____

Steam trawler BELLEVUE (156grt) was lost off
Turnberry Light House, near Ailsa Craig.

_____

Steamer ENSEIGNE MARIE ST GERMAIN (3139grt) was
damaged on a mine off Yarmouth.

_____

Steamer BINTANG (2825grt) was sunk by German bombing
in 31-50N, 26-01W. Crew of 37, four gunners and one signalman with 12 crew
missing and rest rescued.

_____

U.83 attacked a British destroyer and steamer near
Sidi Barrani and claimed to have damaged both.

_____

Steamer HANNE (1360grt) was sunk by German bombing in
31-57N, 25-26E. Crew of 25 with four lost.

Destroyer ECLIPSE departed the Humber at 1400 after refitting for
Scapa Flow, and arrived back at Scapa Flow at 1330/25th.

_____

Convoy PQ.12 departed Loch Ewe for Hvalfjord.
Minesweeper GOSSAMER departed Scapa Flow at 2030 and destroyers ORIBI
and OFFA at 0100/24th to join the convoy at 0800/24th. Trawlers CHILTERN and
SULLA departed the Clyde for Reykjavik to proceed to Murmansk in convoy PQ.12. The convoy
arrived at Hvalfjord on the 27th. GOSSAMER arrived at Reykjavik on the 28th.

Rear Admiral L H K Hamilton struck his Flag as Rear
Admiral (D) in destroyer depot ship TYNE, and raised it again in heavy cruiser LONDON as Rear Admiral Commanding,
First Cruiser Squadron. In his place Commodore C Caslon CBE, raised his flag as
Commodore Commanding, Home Fleet Destroyer Flotillas in TYNE.

In attacks on convoy ON.67, U.558 sank tanker
INVERARDER (5578grt) in 44-34N, 42-37W, crew of 34 and 8 gunners, with all
rescued. She also damaged Norwegian tanker EIDANGER (9432grt) in 44-11N,
43-25W. She was sunk later in the day by U.558, crew of 37 and two gunners,
with all rescued.

U.162 and U.158 attacked tanker EMPIRE CELT (8032grt)
in ON.67. She was sunk, but it is uncertain which submarine was responsible.
Crew of 51 and two passengers with six crew missing and 47 survivors rescued.

In further attacks on ON.67, U.558 in sank tankers
ANADARA (8009grt), FINNANGER (9551grt) and steamer WHITE CREST (4365grt) in
43-45N, 42-15W. Before sinking, one of the tankers may also have been
torpedoed by U.587.

U.158 damaged tanker DILOMA (8146grt) from ON.67 in
43-51N, 43-41W.

_____

U.752 attacked convoy HX.175 and reported damaging a
tanker.

_____

American steamer NORLAVORE (2713grt) departed Puerto
la Cruz on the 22nd and was reported lost on the 24th. Although no claims
were made for her sinking,U.432 was in the area.

_____

Panamanian steamer SNARK (4488grt) was sunk on a mine
near Amedee Lighthouse after departing Sydney for Noumea.

_____

Russian submarine SHCH.213 sank Turkish naval
auxiliary CANCAYA (454grt) off Kara Burnu off the Bosphorus, but the entire
crew was rescued. SHCH.213 also sank Panamanian steamer STRUMA (226grt) off Yam Burnu, at
the entrance to the Bosphorus later that day. Crew of ten and 763 Jewish
refugees with only one survivor rescued.

_____

Destroyers WISHART and VIDETTE departed Gibraltar escorting troopship ULSTER
MONARCH to Freetown. WISHART detached at
2000/25th and returned to Gibraltar, arriving on the 26th.

_____

Corvettes PENTSTEMON and VETCH departed Gibraltar escorting steamer CAPE HAWKE to Trinidad. The escorts detached at
2200/28th and arrived back at Gibraltar on 3 March.

_____

Destroyer ANTHONY, which had been at sea with Force H
escorting convoy WS.16, arrived at Gibraltar.

_____

In a attack on Axid ships off Tripoli, S/Lt M Holdsworth and S/Lt
N V Clark were killed when their Swordfish of 830 Squadron was shot down.

_____

In heavy Japanese air attacks on Tanjong Prior, heavy
cruiser EXETER was damaged by near misses
amd Australian light cruiser HOBART had two ratings wounded by
splinters.

American transport MOUNT VERNON departed Colombo for Fremantle, escorted by
British light cruiser ENTERPRISE as far as 10S.

_____

Dutch light cruiser HEEMSKERK departed Colombo for Trincomalee to embark
ammunition and proceed to the Dutch East Indies. She then left Trincomalee
the next day for Sunda Strait with all despatch, but was diverted
to Tjilatjap on the 26th. On 1 March, both she and destroyer ISAAC SWEERS
were ordered to return to Colombo.

Wednesday, 25 February

Heavy cruiser KENT left her patrol in the Denmark Strait for Hvalfjord, arriving on
the 26th.

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Heavy cruiser LONDON departed Scapa Flow for Hvalfjord, arriving on
the 27th.

Convoy in 31 departed Alexandria, escorted by destroyer
JERVIS, LIVELY, and ZULU. The convoy arrived at Tobruk on the 27th.

_____

British heavy cruiser EXETER, Australian light cruiser
PERTH and British destroyers
ENCOUNTER, ELECTRA and JUPITER departed Tanjong Priok to join Dutch Admiral
Doorman's force at Surabaya. Australian light cruiser
HOBART was also ordered to sail, but had not completed refuelling. Instead
she joined a Western Striking Force with light cruisers DANAE, DRAGON and
destroyers TENEDOS and SCOUT. The EXETER group arrived at Surabaya at 0330/26th and sailed at
1900 that day.

_____

Destroyer NIZAM arrived at Trincomalee.

_____

Aircraft carrier HERMES flew off her 814 Squadron to
Trincomalee to act as a striking force.

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Japanese submarine I.58 sank Dutch steamer BOERO
(7135grt) south of Sunda Strait. Crew of 70, with no
casualties.

Heavy cruiser SHROPSHIRE, escorted by destroyer
VETERAN, and by escort destroyers HAMBLEDON and CATTISTOCK as far as Kinnaird
Head, departed Sheerness for Scapa Flow to work up after refitting at Chatham. SHROPSHIRE and VETERAN reached Scapa Flow on the 27th when VETERAN
left to return to Rosyth.

_____

Minelayers SOUTHERN PRINCE, PORT QUEBEC, AGAMEMNON and
MENETHEUS, escorted by destroyers LANCASTER, WELLS and SKATE departed Loch
Alsh at 1750 for minelaying operation SN.85. Destroyer MIDDLETON sailed as
additional escort. Light cruiser TRINIDAD joined on the 29th for ocean
escort, but heavy weather forced SKATE to heave to while MIDDLETON later lost
touch as well.

Light cruiser DURBAN departed Colombo for Mauritius, Cape of Good Hope and the USA for repairs. She arrived at
New York on 9 April, was under repair
for fourteen weeks, and then proceeded to Portsmouth for further repairs in July
and August.

_____

Indian sloop SUTLEJ departed Trincomalee for
Bombay with destroyer ISIS and
submarine ROVER for repairs to the latter two.

_____

Aircraft transport ENGADINE departed Aden for Colombo with a cargo of Fulmar
fighters.

Force H departed Gibraltar at 0320 for Operation
SPOTTER to fly-off of aircraft to Malta. Aircraft carrier ARGUS,
light cruiser HERMIONE and four destroyers had departed Gibraltar and sailed westwards at
1830/26th to simulate a change of carriers. They then joined battleship MALAYA, aircraft carrier EAGLE and
destroyers WHITEHALL, ACTIVE, BLANKNEY, CROOME,
LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, ANTHONY, WISHART and DUNCAN (four of these destroyers
had left with ARGUS). Force H arrived back at Gibraltar on the 28th when the
operation was postponed because of petrol supply difficulties in the
aircraft’s long range tanks.

Destroyer ELECTRA (Cdr C W May) was sunk by Japanese
destroyers. Cdr May, Lt R Jenner-Fust OBE, Lt E A Coale, Lt (E) F McLeod,
S/Lt R Price RNR, Temporary Lt H W Davies RNVR and 102 ratings
were lost. Of the survivors, S/Lt S H Cruden RNVR and four ratings were taken
prisoner by the Japanese from the water, and Gunner (T) T J Cain, Surgeon Lt
W R D Seymour and forty three ratings were picked up by American submarine
S.38 at 0315/28th. On arriving on the scene, S.38 was attacked by destroyer
ENCOUNTER, but not damaged. One rating died of wounds after arriving in Java,
and 10 wounded ratings were left at Surabaya and later captured. Seven
died while prisoners of war.

Forty survivors from JUPITER and 42 from ELECTRA
departed Tjilatjap in early March on Dutch steamer VERSPECK and arrived in
Australia on 10 March.

Dutch destroyer KORTENAER was sunk by Japanese warships.
ENCOUNTER picked up 113 survivors and took them to Surabaya.

Dutch light cruisers DE RUYTER and JAVA were sunk by
Japanese warships. British Temporary Lt W A. Jackson RNVR and Temporary
Acting S/Lt W G Jenkins RNVR, on board DE RUYTER were rescued and made
prisoners of war.

_____

Australian light cruiser HOBART, British light
cruisers DANAE and DRAGON, British destroyers TENEDOS, SCOUT and the Dutch
EVERTSEN departed Tanjong Priok at 2330, with the orders that if no enemy
were sighted, they would retire through the Sunda Strait to Ceylon. Early on the 28th, EVERTSEN
became separated and returned to Tanjong Priok. On 1 March, the force arrived
at Padang to embark evacuatees, with HOBART and DANAE taking on
board 648 and 319 evacuees, respectively. These ships, less DRAGON, arrived
at Colombo on 5 March. DRAGON arrived on the 6th.

_____

Dutch light cruiser TROMP, after being damages by
Japanese ships on the 20th/21st, departed Surabaya for repairs at Fremantle.

_____

American seaplane tender LANGLEY (CDR R P McConnell)
was sunk by Japanese bombing 75miles SSE of Tjilatjap. Sixteen crew and
passengers were lost – LT W C Bailey, Warrant Officer R . Curtis, five
enlisted men and nine passengers, and 11 enlisted men wounded. The 308
survivors were picked up by US destroyers WHIPPLE and EDSALL, after which
WHIPPLE scuttled LANGLEY.

Submarines TRUSTY and TRUANT departed Surabaya for Ceylon. TRUSTY arrived at Colombo on 7 March and was under
repairs from the 10th to 26th, while TRUANT had one main motor out of action
and her speed reduced to eleven knots. She arrived at Colombo on the 8th.

Japanese submarine I.53 sank steamer CITY OF MANCHESTER (8917grt) in 8-16S, 108-52E.
Crew of 115, 21 gunners and one passenger, with three crew lost and six
presumed captured. I.53 also sank Dutch steamer PARIGI (1172grt) in 8S, 109E.

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Japanese submarine I.58 damaged tanker BRITISH JUDGE
(6735grt) ten miles south of Princess Island, Sunda Strait, and escorting sloop JUMNA and minesweeper WOOLLONGONG
counter-attacked. Oiler WAR SIRDAR, also with this convoy, was bombed and set
afire. She was beached on Agenielien Island, northwest of Batavia in 5-31S, 106-36E, and
declared a total loss on 1 March.

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Japanese submarine I.4 sank Dutch steamer BAN HO GUAN
(1693grt), which was en route from Padang to Tjilatjap, south of Bali.

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Dutch steamer TOMOHON (983grt) was sunk by Japanese
surface craft off Tjilatjap. Crew of 30 rescued.